Estonian minister presses pause button on cell rental

Minister Van Bossuyt stated on Tuesday evening that technical negotiations will start with Estonia about renting prison capacity. However, the Estonian Minister of Justice is now tempering expectations, at least in the short term. The country has made agreements about renting out cells to the Swedes and will honor them, but has no plans for other similar agreements, Minister Pakosta was quoted in local media on Thursday.

“We have made it absolutely clear that this government and its majority in parliament will not discuss additional leasing of capacity. And if there is ever an interest in that, the next government can consider it,” she said.

Preparatory work

During question time in Parliament, Van Bossuyt said he understands the sensitivities in Estonia about renting out capacity in the run-up to the elections early next year. But at the same time she noted that, pending the elections, our country is keeping the lines open at a technical level and that the necessary preparatory work is being carried out. Her colleague Verlinden also stated that it was agreed to continue the work on a technical level. “The future will show which options are feasible.”

MP Alexander Van Hoecke (Vlaams Belang) was not impressed. “You ignore the minister’s statements and act as if nothing is wrong,” it said. According to him, the working visit was an “empty box” that only served as a diversionary maneuver because the government itself cannot find an agreement for the overcrowding in our prisons.